The Kansas City Chiefs are moving on to the AFC championship game.
The Chiefs will hope that superstar starter Patrick Mahomes can recover in time from an apparent head injury to face the Buffalo Bills with a Super Bowl berth at stake — but backup Chad Henne did his part Sunday after Mahomes went down to help Kansas City hold off the visiting Cleveland Browns, 22-17, at Arrowhead Stadium.
On a third-and-14 play with two minutes left, Henne scrambled to the left and was stopped just short of a first down at the Kansas City 48-yard line. Chiefs Coach Andy Reid made a major gamble by going for it on fourth down and inches, and Henne was able to hit wide receiver Tyreek Hill for five yards and a game-clinching first down, sending the defending Super Bowl champions to their third consecutive AFC title game.
Henne took over after Mahomes was hurt on a third-quarter play in which he ran to his right, trying to gain a first down on a third-and-one play, before being tackled by Browns linebacker Mack Wilson. Mahomes, who injured his left foot earlier in the game, struggled to keep his balance as he got up, went to the locker room to be checked for a concussion and was subsequently ruled out by the Chiefs.
Mahomes went 21 for 30 for 255 yards and a touchdown before he was injured.
The Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills Sunday at 5:40.